Pocket Change: Pitching In for a Better World

Pocket Change: Pitching In for a Better World — page 3
Have you ever walked along the shampoo aisle in a drug store and wondered which bottle to choose You’re not alone It’s often hard to know which product to spend your money on Over the years I’ve lived in small places where stores offered very few options When I ran out of shampoo in Peru for example I bought the only kind sold in the village shop When I returned to Canada I felt completely overwhelmed the moment I walked into a store So many things to choose from And so few that I really needed Years later I wondered how our purchases affect the environment Factories use Earth’s resources to create products and when we don’t want an item anymore we often toss it into the landfill How would the world look if we bought less stuff Lately I’ve been reading about creative ways that people meet their needs without buying much at all It’s all about community Did you know that if you want a blender in Toronto Ontario you can borrow one from the Kitchen Library Or that in Kenya families share a small amount of money some times less than twenty-five dollars to start entire businesses And strong communities aren’t just fun to live in They’re good for the environment and can reduce poverty too How Grab a friend and a snack to share come along and find out On a summer evening my family loves gardening in our parking spot especially because neighbors always come by to chat GASTON CASTANO Introduction 6